Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has launched its new AOBA VELOX-III satellite from the International Space Station (ISS).

Delivered to the ISS last month by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the AOBA VELOX-III is a 110m habitable nano-satellite and is currently orbiting 400km above Earth.

“The successful deployment of the AOBA VELOX-III is testament to the strong satellite engineering expertise at NTU."

A special launcher was used to send the AOBA VELOX-III into orbit, which features a NTU-built micro-thruster that enables the satellite to remain in space twice as long than it usually would.

Developed jointly by NTU and Japan’s Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), AOBA VELOX-III is the first Singapore satellite being launched from the ISS.

While in orbit, the AOBA VELOX-III is expected to carry out various tests, including the NTU-built micro-propulsion system, a new Kyutech wireless communication system, and experiments to evaluate the durability of commercial off-the-shelf microprocessors in space.

NTU satellite research centre director Lim Wee Seng said: “The successful deployment of the AOBA VELOX-III is testament to the strong satellite engineering expertise at NTU.

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“Building up the local satellite talent pool and developing disruptive technologies like the micro-thruster in the AOBA VELOX-III is important for Singapore’s budding space industry.

“Riding on the success of the AOBA VELOX III, we are now developing our second joint satellite with Kyutech which could lead to small and manoeuvrable satellites being used as space probes in future.”

NTU Singapore is planning to launch the second satellite by next year, with plans to conduct a lunar mission using the technologies demonstrated by these two satellites.

Image: Launch of AOBA VELOX-III satellite from the ISS. Photo: courtesy of Nanyang Technological University.